1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus, a method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, digital cameras that record an image shot by an image sensor as digital data are becoming widespread. There is also known a method of inserting an image shot by a digital camera into a background designed in advance to generate a composite image and thus making a printed product.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-245071 proposes processing of holding a plurality of templates in which image arrangement regions are set and merging an image with each image arrangement region of a template.
There is no originality in a method of causing a user to directly select a template prepared in advance. Hence, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-245071, a composite image is generated using the following method. First, using a shot image, the image is inserted into a background designed in advance to generate a composite image. A generated layout is defined as a basic layout. The parameters of the basic layout are changed, thereby creating a plurality of image merging results. For example, the parameters (the arrangement position, shape, and size of each image arrangement region or background color) of the basic layout are changed to generate a plurality of image merging results. The plurality of generated image merging results are sequentially displayed, and the user selects a desired one of the plurality of image merging results, as is proposed.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-245071, when sequentially displaying the plurality of layouts created by changing the parameters of the basic layout, the layouts are displayed in accordance with the order of layout creation. Hence, if a plurality of similar layouts are continuously created, the plurality of similar layouts are continuously displayed. At this time, for example, if the user's desired layout is not included in the similar layouts, the user cannot display the desired layout only after the plurality of similar layouts have wholly been displayed.